9/11 health bill 'Christmas miracle'?

Senate Dems Think They Can Pass $6 Billion 9/11 Health Bill
Photograph of dust after the September 11, 2001 attacks from the EPA After Republican Senators filibustered the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act because, well, they wanted to make sure they got their $900 billion in Bush Tax Cuts, there's been a determined push to get the Legislation passed before the end of this year. Now New York's Democratic Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer say believe there are enough votes from Republicans to pass a less expensive, $6 billion ...

NY senators seek "Christmas miracle" for Ground Zero heroes bill
Politico: New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said Sunday that the House should stay in session until the Senate passes a new version of a bill aimed at giving health benefits to Ground Zero workers. Setting up a clash in the final days of the congressional session, Schumer - along with fellow New York Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand - offered a modified version of a bill Sunday giving compensation to Rescue Workers who fell ill from the toxic dust stemming from the collapse of the twin towers ...

Gillibrand, Schumer: New Momentum For 9/11 Health Bill
WASHINGTON, DC— Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) announced they have made alterations to an important health bill for 9/11 First Responders—including trimming the bill’s Price Tag by $1.2 billion—in a move that is expected to clear the way for final passage of the measure before the end of this year. The senators said that they have received a commitment from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to hold a vote on the bill this week...

New York Senators Say Christmas Miracle Coming For 9/11 First Responders
ABC News’ Matthew Jaffe reports: Once the Senate wraps up work on the START Treaty, it won’t be time for the Christmas break just yet. Before lawmakers head out of town for the holidays, the Senate will take another shot at a bill that would provide health care benefits and compensation to sick First Responders of the 9/11 attacks. “We are on the verge of a Christmas miracle,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., at a Press Conference today on Capitol Hill. Gillibrand and fello

Dem leader Hoyer: Senate needs to hurry on 9/11 benefits bill
The Senate must act immediately if it plans on changing and sending back to the House a bill that provides health benefits to Sept. 11 Rescue Workers, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Monday night. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) say they have won Republican support for a revised version of the 9/11 health bill, but the House would have to approve any changes to the Legislation before the 111th Congress ends in early January. Hoyer said Democratic l...

The Education of Kirsten Gillibrand
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is having a moment. On Sunday, New Yorkers unfurled their copies of The Times to see Ms. Gillibrand above the fold, one of the smiling faces of the push to Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. Last week, she broke with her benefactors in the White House, and her mentor, Senator Charles Schumer, and voted against President Obama's tax-cut Compromise. And throughout the frenzied lame-duck session, she's made the cable rounds—territory where she used to tread lightly&mdas...;

NY Lawmakers Hope To Pass 9/11 Bill During Lame Duck
NEW YORK (CBS 2) — The Senate is expected to begin debating the 9/11 health bill once more this week, the last week of the session, but as Kathryn Brown reports, New York lawmakers said this time they think they’ll succeed. “We believe we’ve secured enough Republican votes to prevail,” Senator Chuck Schumer said. “America will be watching very closely on how the senate votes on something that goes fundamentally to the issue of who we are as Americans and wheth...

A Handful of Republicans Have Finally Been Convinced to Help Sick Ground Zero Workers
Photo: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images Don't look now, but the Democrats are starting to rack up a pretty sizable number of successes in what was at one time expected to be a quiet and largely uneventful lame-duck session. There was the tax-cut deal, which included an extension of Unemployment Benefits, then the Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and soon, it appears, even the long-stalled James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. And yes, it is strange that guaranteeing medical assistance f...

Pols see hope for 9/11 bill
WASHINGTON -- The long-stalled 9/11 health bill is headed for a Senate vote as soon as tomorrow after supporters shaved $1.2 billion from its Price Tag to satisfy skeptical Republicans, New York lawmakers said yesterday. "I believe we now have more than enough votes to pass this Legislation," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a chief champion of the measure, said at a Capitol Press Conference. Republicans, who blocked the bill with a Filibuster earlier this month, had criticized the cost and f...

Senators see chance for passing 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A retooled bill providing medical care for Firefighters and other emergency responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks could be resurrected soon in the Senate, a few weeks after Republicans blocked the measure, backers said on Sunday. "We believe we are on a path to victory by the end of this week," said Senator Charles Schumer. But he was quick to add that unexpected obstacles could arise. He and fellow New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand outlined for ...

Senators still see chance for 9/11 health bill
A retooled bill providing medical care for Firefighters and other emergency responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks could be resurrected soon in the Senate, a few weeks after Republicans blocked the measure, backers said on Sunday. “We believe we are on a path to victory by the end of this week,” said Senator Charles Schumer. But he was quick to add that unexpected obstacles could arise. He and fellow New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand outlined for reporters some changes they w...

Senators see chance for passing 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A retooled bill providing medical care for Firefighters and other emergency responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks could be resurrected soon in the Senate, a few weeks after Republicans blocked the measure, backers said on Sunday. "We believe we are on a path to victory by the end of this week," said Senator Charles Schumer. But he was quick to add that unexpected obstacles could arise. He and fellow New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand outlined for reporters some cha...

Senators see chance for passing 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON | Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:08am EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A retooled bill providing medical care for Firefighters and other emergency responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks could be resurrected soon in the Senate, a few weeks after Republicans blocked the measure, backers said on Sunday. "We believe we are on a path to victory by the end of this week," said Senator Charles Schumer. But he was quick to add that unexpected obstacles could arise. He and fellow New York Senator Kirste...

Senators see chance for passing 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON | Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:08am EST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A retooled bill providing medical care for Firefighters and other emergency responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks could be resurrected soon in the Senate, a few weeks after Republicans blocked the measure, backers said on Sunday. "We believe we are on a path to victory by the end of this week," said Senator Charles Schumer. But he was quick to add that unexpected obstacles could arise. He and fellow New York Senator Kirste...

Senators see chance for passing 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A retooled bill providing medical care for Firefighters and other emergency responders to the September 11, 2001 attacks could be resurrected soon in the Senate, a few weeks after Republicans blocked the measure, backers said on Sunday. "We believe we are on a path to victory by the end of this week," said Senator Charles Schumer. But he was quick to add that unexpected obstacles could arise. He and fellow New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand outlined for reporters some cha...

New Yorks Democratic Fight Picker
On Nov. 15, Senator Chuck Schumer received a promotion. His job title didn't officially change—Mr. Schumer remains the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate—but, with Republicans suddenly closing in on control of the chamber, Harry Reid asked his old friend to steer the party back into the public's good graces. "We must integrate our legislative- and message-crafting functions into a central, coordinated nucleus managing policy, press, and politics," Mr. Reid wrote to his colleagues. "I hav...

9/11 First Responders Bill May Move Ahead This Week
What is this? Firefighters make their way through the rubble of the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001. Firefighters make their way through the rubble of the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001. While the new START Treaty, the Repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the tax package put together by President Obama and Congressional Republicans have been getting most of the attention, another piece of important Legislation has been on the Senate's agenda. And there's word ...

Coburn may block 9/11 bill
New York Democrats hoping for quick action on a bill to give Health Care compensation to Ground Zero workers are about to run into Tom Coburn. The Oklahoma Republican and physician -- known in the Senate as "Dr. No" for his penchant in blocking bills -- told Politico Monday night he wouldn't allow the bill to move quickly, saying he has problems with parts of the bill and the process Democrats are employing. Other Republicans like Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said he had concerns with t...

New 9/11 Health Bill Could Be Passed By New Year
New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand think they've got a 9/11 First Responders Health bill that can pass through the Senate, but they have to Cut funding and make it Deficit neutral to attract Republicans. As it stands, the bill would be paid for by a two percent Tax on certain imports and would in turn provide $6.2 billion in funding for a specially administered payment program. The two expect the bill to come up for discussion after the ratification of the new START Nuclear arms limit

Progress for 9/11 First Responders' Health Care Bill
The James Zadroga 9/11 Health Compensation Act, which would help First Responders at Ground Zero who were exposed to dangerous Toxins access medical care, has been kicking around Congress for nearly two years. It finally passed the House earlier this fall, but it was recently filibustered by Republicans in the Senate. Now, the Republicans didn’t Filibuster this because they hate 9/11 Rescue Workers. And it’s actually not because it would add to the Deficit either. It’s fully of...

Senate Democrats likely to pass new 9/11 health bill
Stumble This! Legislation to improve Health Care services to Rescue Workers who became ill as a result of breathing dangerous fumes and dust at the World Trade Center may receive a second chance after being blocked by Senate Republicans last week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid intends to bring up a scaled-down version of the 9/11 First Responders health bill for another vote during the lame-duck session. The bill is expected after the Senate votes on the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty...

GOP Senate Moderates Back in Business
The moderate wing of the Republican Party was reborn Saturday in the United States Senate.  Eight Republicans — Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Richard Burr of North Carolina, John Ensign of Nevada, George Voinovich of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Maine’s Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins — crossed party lines to vote with the Democrats to Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  If you add Senator Richard Lugar, who is leading the charg

Senate Republican leader says he'll vote against New START
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) announced that Sunday he will vote against a new U.S.-Russia nuclear-arms accord, a move that could pressure other Republicans in what is likely to be a close vote at the end of Congress's lame-duck session. His statement came as Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the chamber's second-ranking Republican, also said he would not support the treaty unless it was amended. Supporters of the pact played down the announcements, saying they had not expected the backin...

Senate GOP's political opposition to 9/11 first responders bill draws criticism
 Senator Jon Kyl and other GOP Senators have been playing politics with the 9/11 First Responders bill, and they are losing. Republicans are fielding criticism from the left, and the right, over their opposition to a bill that would provide healthcare to patriotic Americans who became sick after working in the dust of the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 tragedy. The Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, named for James Zadroga, a 9/11 first responder who died in 2006 of respirato...

'Secret session' on START to launch Senate's Christmas push
Senators will convene a closed-door session Monday at 2 p.m. as part of a final push by the administration to ratify the New START nuclear arms treaty by Christmas. The meeting, which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) described as a “secret session,” will be held in the Old Senate Chamber. Two Democratic aides said they expect Gen. James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, to brief lawmakers in a last-moment bid to secure GOP support for the treaty. The aides cautioned...